The Age of Lost Omens

A 13th Age campaign set in Golarion

History

Recent Events

The Black Comet

The ink-black comet, said to be a sign from Pharasma herself, has caused cults to rise in her name, popping up all over the region. Tensions have begun to increase, as the cults, lead by powerful clerics of Pharasma have begun killing any who have cheated death. Diabolists, necromancers, ghouls, anything that has somehow prolonged it’s life, in violation of the natural order.

The Fourth Mendevian Crusade

A powerful balor known as the Storm King rose up and challenged the might of the wardstone barrier. His army had managed to damage one of the stones and cross the frontier. Fortunately the defenders rallied and drove the demons back. This development has led to the calling of the Fourth Crusade in order to defeat the Storm King before he has the chance to conquer Mendev.

The Northern Pogrom

Tharsis Hightower, son of Lord Bastion Hightower, Lord General of the Northern Icecrown, had been murdered by a gang of Iobaran thugs. In revenge the Lord drove them from their homes east across the Lake of Mists and Veils.

In his rage, his bannermen had sacked the villages that belonged to the Lord General of the Interior. When Queen Galfrey demanded he rein in his mad quest he responded, “They should be grateful I didn’t send them beyond the wardstones where they belong!” Lord Hightower was made to compensate his neighbours for the damage he wrought and was made to lost considerable face in the Courts of Nerosyan.

Old Events

The Death of Aroden

Aroden was a god of human culture, innovation, and history. An important prophecy known as the Starfall Doctrine suggested that he was to manifest in Cheliax in 4606 AR, marking the beginning of a long-awaited Age of Glory. Instead, at the appointed hour, Golarion was wracked with three weeks of storms (leaving the Eye of Abendego as a lasting reminder). When the weather broke, the clerics of Aroden found themselves disconnected from their god, and all presume Aroden is dead.

The Opening of the Worldwound

A demon-haunted wasteland that lies at the northern-most reaches of central Avistan, the Worldwound is an unnatural blight: it is a rift to the Abyss opened on the Material Plane. It appeared shortly after the death of the god Aroden at the beginning of the Age of Lost Omens, and is probably the greatest threat to life on the face of Golarion.

The Mendevian Crusades

The first crusade: from the blood of heroes a nation is born.

The first crusade was called in 4622 AR and met with considerable success. The demons were defeated and pushed back towards the Worldwound, and the border was fortified. The new nation of Mendev was formed.

The second crusade: the fall of Drezen and the beginning of the wardstones

In 4638 AR the demons counterattacked. Forces led by the powerful marilith Zuhra Apponavicius captured the crusader city of Drezen and killed many of Mendev’s warriors. The Second Crusade was called to combat this menace, and these reinforcements enabled a new front line to be established on the Sellen River. The discover of nexovar allowed the wardstones to be created to prevent future demonic inclusions.

The third crusade: mired in fear and distrust

The Second Crusade had contained the demonic threat once more, and it was hoped a third crusade could drive them back. However, balked by the wardstones, the demons had resorted to subtler incursions into Mendev. The Third Crusade stalled in the face of this demonic infestation, wasting its energies in witch hunts, paranoia and internal squabbling. Fortunately, the demons were also too divided to take advantage of this, and the Crusade ended in a stalemate.